List Members:
In view of the fact that as of this past Sunday, I have been the list
administrator for 6 years; I felt that perhaps it was time to update or
adjust some of our guidelines. I don't feel that overall I have done that
bad of a job with the county. In many ways our researching resources have
greatly improved through the creation and maintenance of the Sweet Owen
website. It has though been brought to my attention that some of our posting
guidelines are rather lax in their structure and need to be adhered to
better.
Perhaps it hit me at a bad moment, but my initial response was simply to
just withdraw from being the administrator and give up the website as it
does require a tremendous amount of time.
Instead, I decided that an action such as that would be punishing the many
for the opinions of a few. Nobody can please all of the list members all of
the time. I never intended to attempt to do that ever.
Before posting these guidelines however, I decided to be fair and assess the
amount of "off subject" emails posted in the past six years to see if
perhaps I was becoming lackadaisical in my duties.
Not only did I not find very many; I also found something that made me
remember that not all mailing lists are run the same.
I remember during the 911 attacks, ours was one of the few mailing lists
that encouraged open discussion about it. I also remembered the amount of
email I received from single or elderly persons who had nobody else to
discuss it with and were very grateful. I recalled how proud I was that I
chose to "go against the pack" and open the list for that.
I have also taken the time to double check the list of duties expected of a
list administrator and yes, setting list guidelines is one of them. It is at
my discretion to create these rules; as long as they don't violate the terms
of use such as promoting hate mail, chain letters, or spam and the like.
I have pared down the rules and attempted to NOT make this list into
something from a controlled concentration camp.
So, without further to do-here are the guidelines for this mailing list.
Please read them and either save the email or print it off.
I will not be amending these guidelines or changing them to suit every
different person. I simply don't have the time or the inclination. My time
is better spent on the website.
As it has been mentioned that the rules should be the same for everyone- I
would like to suggest that everyone check the website with some regularity
in order not to miss new updates or opportunities.
1. IF YOU HAVE ITEMS FOR SALE---
Let me know privately and I will place them in a forum on the website. I own
the website and the domain name, in that region the discretion is mine
alone. If I start receiving complaints about the content decision in that
area, I will pull the site immediately.
2. Public announcements of information of interest to Genealogists in
general should be sent to me and I will post it.
3 Do not post virus warnings, test messages, chain letters, political
announcements, current events, etc.
4 Please do not send file attachments (messages with files appended)
to the list. If you have a file you would like to share with the members,
announce what you have to offer, then send the file only to those who
request it, via private email.
5 Do not impose any other rules or conditions, expressed or implied
elsewhere, upon this list. Rules of other forums may not necessarily apply
here. Do not try to regulate this list. THAT IS MY RESPONSIBILITY. If
you do not like the way someone formats their queries or responses, or the
content of their subject titles, take it up with ME personally, NOT on the
list. We are not "all the other lists" our guidelines WILL differ from them.
6 If you are in question about posting an item, contact me privately.
7. Off subject topics is NOT encouraged, however sometimes one gets
through. If that is the case please follow these simple steps:
a. Read the subject line
b. If you disagree with it, FIND YOUR DELETE BUTTON AND USE IT without
opening it.
c. Contact ME, not the submitter of the email. If you do receive a
complaint message from another list member, please forward it to me. Those
persons will be unsubscribed.
8. Anyone engaging in "on-list" discussions about the pros and cons of
a particular posting will be placed on a read only status and not be allowed
to post to the list.
9. PLEASE, realize that an "off-subject or off topic" posting on the list
is NOT going to change the earth as we know it. It is not the end of the
world. If you see something stating "off subject" please don't open it. If
it does appear on the list, it does so WITH MY PERMISSION AND KNOWLEDGE.
10. Discussion of migration patterns, immigration, heraldry, historical
sketches, settlements, census data, wills, family Bibles, vital records, web
sites, etc. is encouraged. HOWEVER, we have always maintained a friendly,
large family environment without rigid structure and it has worked very well
and not been abused. I anticipate it to continue as such. I do NOT wish to
place this mailing list in the "moderator" mode where I have to check
everything and forward it to the list. We are all adults.
11. I will from time to time make postings myself that are probably off
subject, but of interest to list members; I don't anticipate any static
regarding those.
Debbie
www.sweetowen.net
If you look deeply into the palm of your hand, you will see your parents and
all generations of your ancestors. All
of them are alive in this moment. Each is present in your body. You are the
continuation.